Any hints and tips for - ahem - senior (73 last Sunday) running parkrun on own

[Runner_and_rider]

Shame I only discovered this wonderful forum recently, but am hoping you can give me some hints and tips

I've just finished c25k wk6 (no problems yet) and am planning to do a parkrun on Saturday. Background is that I have done one parkrun - 2 weeks ago - as part of my c25k with my daughter running next to me telling me when to run/walk.

On Saturday I'll be running on my own so am wondering how best to do it. Would you recommend 5 mins walking to begin with, then just starting to run (slow jog in my case) for as long as I can, or should I do 5 mins walk, then 5 mins run then 5 mins walk again and so on?

Your advice may be that I shouldn't do it, but it's a brand new parkrun right near where I live so I'd love to be there and be part of the launch.

The only resolution I've made so far is to start at the back and keep to the left to let others pass. Hopefully the organisers will find it useful to have an oldie trundling along so they can thoroughly test out the route All advice will be very welcome. Big thanks to you all.

[Buddy34 Graduate]

Your next run is for 25 minutes so just do your warm up walk before starting then try and run your 25 minutes then walk for 5 exactly as the plan says good luck

[Dave58 Graduate]

Congrats on completing wk6. Wk7 is a 25 min run which you have already done in wk6.3. If I was you I'd give it a go. Walk briskly for the first 5 mins as normal then run for 25 mins. Take a stopwatch. Then after you've finished the 25 mins walk the rest assuming you are not already at the finish line lol

[damienair Graduate]

Yes I agree. Do the Parkrun as part of your Week 7 run. Enjoy the atmosphere and soak it up. Don’t run anymore than the 25 mins in the plan.

Damien

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Just do your next run at Park Run...

...Week 7, you will begin with a brisk 5-minute walk, then 25 minutes of running.

Just warm up with the 5 minutes... then run for the 25 minutes needed and walk the rest Job done

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Yep... walk the start... that warms you up and moves the pack of runners away, removing the temptation to go to fast... run your 25 and then walk briskly... maybe jog the last 20 yards! The main thing is to go and love it.

[Bazza1234 Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

As you are unlikely to complete the 5K in 35 minutes?? - you could walk the first 10 minutes or so and then run - this would allow the runners to get well ahead of you.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Bazza1234]

Oh no... I’m fine... just been busy on a Saturday morning since I graduated apart from my tailwalk... so the only one I did was back in July which I walked... when I’m not going to be busy I tend to reply to the request for volunteers and either run before or after the parkrun!

[Bazza1234 Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

I replied in the wrong place

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Bazza1234]

I just figured that 😂. I thought you’d replied to a reply of mine on another thread... all very confusing!

[Bazza1234 Graduate]

I did C25K over 5 years ago at age 67 - my very first parkrun was W2D1 . I just did whatever the plan called for - including the warm up and coo down walks - and trotted whatever of the 5K was remaining Just start at the

back with the walkers and you will be fine

[Runner_and_rider Graduate in reply to Bazza1234]

Thanks to all of you who have replied to my post. It's really helpful. I hadn't looked ahead to see what w7 held in store for me, but it seems as if it will fit in very well. Bazza 1234 you must be almost the same age as me now, so your post was lovely to receive. My main aim is to avoid injuring myself - and to have fun too. Thanks again to you all.